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Missile Defense

Technology has always found its greatest consumer in a nation's war and defense efforts. Since the last attempts at a "Star Wars" defense system, has technology changed considerably enough to make the latest Missile Defense initiatives more successful? Can such an application of science be successful? Is a militarized space inevitable, necessary or impossible?

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rshow55 - 08:12am May 23, 2003 EST (# 11881 of 11885)
Can we do a better job of finding truth? YES. Click "rshow55" for some things Lchic and I have done and worked for on this thread.

It surely seemed reasonable to me - in context - to go to DC in September 2000. And my work on the board seemed reasonable while I was doing it. If it has been awkward (and often it has) there have been extenuating circumstances.

I was afraid that the world would blow up if some key problems weren't solved (I felt on good authority) and that there were fundamental problems that were holding back problems for American and the world.

In the last few days, looking back at some things, I've been appalled by some of my own judgements - and sympathetic with some of the binds that I've put others in. All the same - a lot has seemed reasonable - and worth taking time and care about.

Here's a quote I noticed in Deadline - from Chapter 23:

The head of the Washington bureau of The New York Times starts with certain advantages in that city of open secrets. The influence of the Times rests on the fact that it is read by people who have influence - the leaders of government and diplomacy, business tycoons, and other deep thinkers in the Universities. In short, many of the Times readers are who's-who types who make and follow the news and refer to the Times index. They also know that we handle the news carefully and will probably write their obituaries. This opens a lot of doors."

Casey had a similar opinion, and felt that, if I was so desperate that I really needed to open some doors - my only chance was the Times . But perhaps there was no chance - and wouldn't have been even in Reston's time. I've surely handled some things wrong myself - sometimes in ways I hate to look at straight.

But I still feel that there are good reasons to think that - if only responsible people could work with things I've worked out - including things I've worked out with lchic - it would be well worth the trouble. Maybe it is too late - but I think that Dwight or Milton Eisenhower or Casey were alive today - I could go before them and argue comfortably that I'd either solved, or made great headway, on all the problems they asked me to work on.

Its also true that I owe a lot of people some apologies. I wish I was better and faster about figuring out how to clean up messes - and actually doing it.

I'm hoping to do a little better now - but still feel stumped by a lot of things. I'd been hoping to debrief on some key things face to face. That used to seem possible. And a lot of the time, it still seems necessary when I think about things.

rshow55 - 10:04am May 23, 2003 EST (# 11882 of 11885)
Can we do a better job of finding truth? YES. Click "rshow55" for some things Lchic and I have done and worked for on this thread.

Some situations are inherently awkward, and I was tickled, while trying to answer some good questions from lchic , by reading a line in Fashion Tip in Rap for Brooklyn Girls By KELEFA SANNEH http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/23/arts/music/23FANN.html

"A good question, although answering it requires a certain tact."

Indeed.

I'm dealing with some good questions - and a request for a list of answers - that seem to me to require "a certain tact."

Some roles "involve tact" as well. Suppose that the leader of Fannypack , Cat for instance, was also a serious, impressive intellectual - involved in many high toned academic and government interactions. Including some with partners, some old and stodgy. And some involved a "high status" day job.

How would she, or her partners or employers, deal with it? In ways that actually worked, with audiences and interactions that were actually there?

Any workable answer might involve tact and invention at a number of levels.

- - -

I think perhaps the CIA, even if they are sympathetic, have some analogous problems dealing with me.

Stodgy old folks, like Eisenhower, looked at problems like that, smiled - and said "keep at it."

robkettenburg03 - 10:41am May 23, 2003 EST (# 11883 of 11885)

BUSH'S MISTS OF FALSEHOODS - http://www.iraqwar.ru/iraq-read_article.php?articleId=6625&lang=en

My Home Page - http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/robkettenburg

bbbuck - 10:57am May 23, 2003 EST (# 11884 of 11885)

When I was young all of life was mysterious to me. I wanted to do good, connect dots, and believe in the American way. Later I watched that show 'In Like Flint' and wanted to be a harp player.

But then one day I had a dream and after that dream I wanted to be a G-man. But there was checking to be done and symmetry charts to be drawn and a few recommended 'Dwight Eisenhower' books to read and some required by Casey and Patton.

But these things were difficult and I gave up. As I left the g-man instructor said "You've got a low gumption factor, slacker, fix it, or check out of the good lane in life". Sometimes I think back on that guy and I want to pulverize that guy. [I needed encouragement at that time, not a lecture].

While walking home thru 'Komodo Country', not paying attention, I was bit by a young Komodo.

No one said life was fair. That's what I got out of that.

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